


Friendship: It's Almost Better Than Cake

by Blu_Bell



Series: Rubies, Azurites, and Other Precious Gems [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Azura/Blue and Ruby/Red announce their relationship, F/F, Family teasing, If The Lions Were Human AU, Isa and Daniel McClain are Lance's older sibs, Keith and Lance are adorable babies as per usual, Lance's Birthday fic, M/M, More of the kids playing pretend, They know everything, Theyre adorable so it doesnt matter lol, there is like??? a lot of hugs???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 18:09:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12415272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blu_Bell/pseuds/Blu_Bell
Summary: It's Lance's birthday! (finally lol), and what party would be complete without friends, family, girlfriends introducing girlfriends to their family, and two know-it-all 11 year olds teaching their little brother how to date?(Thanks to everyone who sent kudos and comments! So sorry for the wait, but at least it got here right?)





	Friendship: It's Almost Better Than Cake

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovelies! So sorry for my prolonged absence, I would only write on my tablet and the darned thing had the gall to keel over and die on me. I have not yet been able to fix/replace it so writing is slower, but fear not! I am not quitting on you guys yet! So enjoy the next installment!

“Ok now, do you remember what we say to Lance before going inside?” The little dark haired boy messed with the collar of his button up, one of the many ways Ruby could tell her boy was getting frustrated and fed up and could probably use that nap he refused earlier in his excitement to get ready for Lance's party, poor baby. She gently patted away his hands.   
  
“I know already Mommy, but why do I have to wear this shirt! It's itchy!"   
  
"Hey hey! Don't start now. You want to see Lance, right?"   
  
Keith looked straight up to the sky as if the world was against him.   
  
"Ye~s..." he sighed out.   
  
"Then you'll wear the shirt. Either way, you'll forget all about it once you and the other kids start playing Space Rangers again, you'd like that right?"   
  
Keith perked right up and started recalling excitedly all the fun he had with his new friends and Lance. Ruby was amused that this was a direct quote. Lance was a special person in her baby's eyes, he held a special place in his heart and she was absolutely thankful for the friendship he offered to Keith.   
  
Even before his parents passing, Keith didn't have many people he could call a friend, he was a quiet kid and was simply happier being around family members than getting to know strangers. But now, seeing the happy light in her baby's whole demeanor she couldn't help but feel grateful for Azura and her nephew, they made both her and Keith's lives brighter and fuller in just a few short days.   
  
"Mommy? Do you think Lance will like his present?" Said present was currently in Keith's little hands and wrapped in purple wrapping paper covered in patches of tiny silver stars.   
  
"Of course he will firecracker, and he'll especially love the extra touch you put in too." Ruby combed his unruly bangs out of his face and adjusted the longer pieces behind his ears. (Ok so hair cutting was not her forte and it's way different doing it on someone else, so give her a break, she wasn't going to waste time and money when she had a perfectly good pair of scissors at hand.)

  
"Moooommy! Stop it already." Keith pouted, the cute little wrinkle between eyebrows reminding Ruby of her sister.   
  
Ruby couldn't help but smile softly and grab his little cheeks between her hands. Keith scowled at her for a second before seeing the soft look in her gaze.   
  
"Your momma would have loved to see you this happy, baby. I know, because I'm loving watching you turn back into my fiery little guy. You feel happier right?" She stroked the single stream of fluid running down his cheek. Keith sniffed real loudly before giving out a wet chuckle.   
  
He nods. "Yes Mommy, I really am." He wipes the wetness with the back of his hand and gives Ruby a big smile, practically splitting his face.

 

Ruby kissed his forehead, smoothed out his shirt, and after a quick glance at the clock, lead him to the door so they wouldn't be late for Lance’s party. Keith politely refused her offer to take the present from him, saying that he wanted to give it to Lance personally. Ruby settled her hand on his shoulder to guided him out of their apartment to the car. The drive was thankfully a short one, if it was any longer Ruby might have a permanent bruise on the spot where Keith would mindlessly kick the back of her seat. 

 

Keith's limited social life also gave him this interesting little tick whenever he was slightly nervous about something. The same thing happened the day the girls and her got together and the first week of Keith going to school.  _ Huh. Now that I think about it...I wonder if I can transfer him to Lance and Hunk's school.....eh, still got time to figure that out. _

 

They pulled up into the last space the already crowded street could provide, hearing the blast of Spanish music coming from the backyard of the nice brown house in front of them. Ruby looked back at her little man, almost imagining with a painful wince his eyes steeled with nerves like she's seen before, only to find him smiling at the house before turning to her.

 

"That's Lance's house, right Mommy?" Ruby smiled fondly, of course she had nothing to worry about, both of them were about to spend time with their favorite people.

 

"Yes it is. Come on, let's go in and have a good time." They exited the car and made their way up the steps to the front porch. Keith rang the bell with the present and they waited. There was various sounds coming behind the door until Katie came into view her cute green overalls traded in for an equally cute green overall dress. Well Esme sure is giving her goddaughter a sense of style.

 

"Keef! Play wiff me!" She made grabby motions with her hands.

 

"You little twerp! You were in your high chair! How the hell do you keep escaping? And what is with you and answering the door!"

 

"Hi Esme, lovely doorman you got here." Ruby giggled as she picked up Katie while the little girl stuck her tongue out at the shorter woman.

 

"You think so? You can have her, free of charge." Katie just giggled and hugged Ruby, her new protector.

 

"Well come in, I think Keith might blow if he doesn't see Lance soon." The women took one look at Keith's impatient foot-tapping and burst out in giggles. They entered the house and were hit with the smell of cooking meat and a beautiful thick aroma of spices.

 

"The party's out back, you're lucky I was trying to find some milk for the little gremlin or you would've been out there for awhile."

 

"Esme! The rice hasn't burned, right?! I totally forgot about it!"

 

Ruby’s head snapped to the direction of her girlfriend’s voice, an already huge grin forming, which quickly dissipated when she realized one demanding detail, they hadn't told anybody they were now a couple. And the one who could witness their brand new interaction was one of the most evilest minds known to all intelligent lifeforms. So before Azura could act out her own happiness in front of Esmeralda, Ruby said the first thing that came to her head, “Hey Esme can you show Keith where to find Lance? I need Zura to show me where the bathroom is.”

 

“Yeah sure, come on Pidgey all your friends are here to play now.” Katie wiggled out of Ruby’s arms, completely forgetting about milk, and held onto Keith’s shirt as the followed Esme outside.

 

“Whats with that face? You ok, darling?” Azura reached for her girlfriend’s hands, caressing her knuckles. “Oh! Do you really have to go that bad? Come on.” she tugged Ruby back into the front hallway.

 

“No I- that was just an excuse so Esme could leave.” Ruby said leaning against the wall.

 

“Why’d you need her to leave?”

 

“Zura. You really want the first person we tell to be Esmeralda Gardner? Think about it, I’ll wait.”

 

Azura thought up an old horrible scenario she used to have in high school, filled endless teasing and Esme laughing evilly while taping ‘Zura is in Love with Ruby’ posters on every door she could find. But that was when they were younger and Azura didn’t think Ruby liked her back, now, that old vision didn't seem as frightening. It's not as if Esme is still an immature, snarky, little...shit… Never mind they were dead if she found out first.

 

Ruby smirked as Azura shuddered. “Not a good idea, huh?” Azura shook her head. “Nope, nuh uh, definitely want to avoid that!”

 

“I agree, I’d rather tell everyone at once, you know, so Ebony can reel her in.”

 

“Yeah yeah, sounds good, so...you wanna do it now?” Azura felt the teeniest bit guilty for not telling Amber that she had gotten The One That Got Away, after pining for so long. She could see in Ruby’s eyes that she too felt mildly guilty, but it was replaced with determination.

“We need to tell them, there’s no reason to feel guilty we just started dating two days ago, they can’t hold that against us, probably.” Azura tugged on their joined hands.

 

“Well then, let's not keep them waiting, shall we?” She gestured grandly back towards the kitchen, pleased at the little giggle that escaped her girlfriend’s mouth. They marched outside, spotting the kids playing with the foam swords Azura’s brother, Ricky, had brought for the party. The other adults were sitting around the tables conversing with one another. It had been years since the McClain clan had seen Azura’s friends. Amber was the first one to notice them.

 

“Hey Ruby, you came!” She and everyone else got up and greeted her with sporadic hugs and kisses to the cheek. “It’s good seeing you too, all of you! Rosa, Ricky, it's been a really long time.” Azura’s siblings returned the sentiment. “How’re you doing Rubes? Ever found a nice girl to settle down with?” Ricky was the oldest of the McClain Trio, and Ruby and the girls had become sisters to him in all things but blood. Ruby couldn’t help but turn a little red at that. “Haha, funny you should mention that…” 

 

“What?! You found a girlfriend!?! How?! We just saw you two days ago and you never mentioned a girlfriend!?!” Ebony was definitely NOT hysterical.

 

“Oh my god...Zura _ is _ psychic.. ZURA KNEW!” Amber was bouncing up and down on her toes.

 

“Hey, if anybody wanted to know, I found a girlfriend too, total babe.” Azura smirked and enjoyed the pretty color Ruby was turning.

 

“What! You both found somebody?! No!” Esme wailed. The still-secret-couple stared at her. 

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Ruby said, puffing herself up like a threatened kitten, so adorable Azura thought.

 

“We all had this bet going on that eventually you two would start dating  _ each other _ ! This is totally unfair I was so sure I would win!” Esme groaned again and started hitting her head continuously against Amber’s arm.

 

Ruby and Azura stood wide-eyed in shock at their friends sheepish faces, then they looked to each other and started laughing so hard there was a threat of tears.

 

“Hey, come on. It wasn’t that unreasonable! You guys have like the best chemistry and we were so sure you were still pining after each all this time!” Ebony had to shout to be heard over her friends’ raucous laughter.

 

Oh   god!   I-   I   don't   know   what   I   was   expecting,   but   this-   Ha!   This   was   just   the   cherry   on   top,   isn’t darling?”   Azura   said   between   bouts   of   laughter. 

 

“It- ow my stomach haha!- sure is sweetheart!”

 

“Ok...who else is completely lost?” Amber said out loud. Both Ricky and Esme raised their hands.

 

“I’m sorry little sister, but I’m not smelling what you’re stepping in.”

 

“Ew Ricky gross! Effective, but gross.” Esme admonished.

 

The almost public couple were still laughing maniacally and were now leaning against each other trying to keep the other one from falling over.

 

“Pffft, well since the secret’s out, hey Zura?” Azura responded in between rounds of snorts, “Yes Ru-ru?”

 

“I’ve had the biggest crush on you since high school.”

 

_ “Ruby. Shut. Up! You can’t say this now!! She’s taken!  _ You’re _ taken!!!”  _ Ebony stage-whispered, her face aghast at the thought of her closest friend becoming a two-timing, other woman.

 

That was the last and final straw for Ruby she collapsed into her still-secret girlfriend, hardly able to breathe at how hard she was laughing. Azura, still very much in tuned with her significant other, kept playing up the act, clutching Ruby to her chest.

 

“Well, since we're being honest, Ruby? I had the HUGEST crush on you since high school, maybe even before that, I’m like 50/50 percent sure you were my bi awakening, either you or Demi Lovato, ‘cause let’s face she was absolutely gorgeous after her haircut.”

 

“You had a crush on me? Wow babe, that’s embarrassing.”

 

Azura groaned, feeling the sly, smug smirk that was definitely blooming on Ruby’s face.

 

“Of all the memes you’ve heard me say through the years you decide that THAT'S the one worth remembering?! Really!? That’s it I’m filing a divorce, a restraining order, something! WE’RE DATING YOU JERK!”

 

The collective gasp was heard throughout the party, even the music skid to a stop.

 

“Azura! You ruined the fun!” Ruby complained playfully, getting purchase of her own weight again and crossing her arms with a pout.

 

Azura just laughed. “Oops? Hey guys, meet my new girlfriend.” She tugged Ruby close to her by the waist looking at her with what Ruby thought was the most soft and tender look yet.

 

“I believe you mean MY new girlfriend, sweetheart.”

 

The crickets still chirped in the background, until...

 

“YES!! HAHA! PAY UP LOSERS, I TOLD YOU THEY WOULD START DATING RIGHT AFTER OUR MEET UP!”

 

“No..NO!! AMBER THAT'S NOT FAIR!! I WAS SO SURE IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST A WEEK!!”

 

“Well, that just shows I know my friends so well, which is still a win for you my dear Esmeralda.” Amber fluttered her eyes innocently. “Now pay up buttercup.” Esme grumpily gave up her twenty bucks.

 

“Wait...so you're not trying to be a rachet, two-timing garden hoe? Neither of you?” Ebony asked, her face still pinched in worry, but slowly turning to understandment. “...Because you're dating each other...Oh my Stars! You're finally dating each other!! Aw, man you're dating each other now, and not in a month.” The quick shifts of emotion finished by the other crisp twenty finding its way into Amber’s hands, who in turn just chuckled darkly. 

 

“Pleasure doing business with you ladies.”

 

“Wait,” Azura held a hand up. “You thought it would take us a month to get our sh-” “Azura! Don't you dare, there’s children- MY children.” Rosa’s glare was scary and Ruby had many memories (and nightmares) of the looks Rosa could give you, motherhood seemed to have amplified it. Ruby sent a quick prayer to Lance and his siblings.

 

“Erp! I wasn't!” She totally was. “But either way, I am utterly outraged that you thought so lowly of us Ebony, shame on you!” Ebony just crossed her arms, cocked a hip and stared her down.

 

“Yes because the last 7 years, which by the way is 84 months, also known as 364 weeks, which equals to 2,555 days of you two being completely smitten with each other but never doing anything about it, is evidence enough of how competent you both were.” Amber and Esme, the traitors, backed her up with a chorus of ‘oohs’’ and whispers of ‘Savage’.

 

The finally-outed couple just turned red, half out of embarrassment of their incompetence being thrown back at them, and the other half? Well, apparently it was time for the Let’s Spill Every Moment These Two Idiots Complained and Pined Over the Other show. 

 

This was going to be a long day...let's hang out with the kids instead.

  
  
  


Earlier That Day

 

_ “Hey Esme can you show Keith where to find Lance? I need Zura to show me where the bathroom is.” _

 

_ “Yeah sure, come on Pidgey all your friends are here to play now.” _

 

Keith was happy to finally be able to see Lance, grown-ups always just kept talking, never doing anything, he was glad he wasn’t like that. Pidge was singing a little song she seemed to make up as she went, tugging on the hem of his shirt. Aunty Esme lead them to the play area, which realistically was half the backyard. Immediately, Keith’s eyes zeroed in on Lance, who was pulling out a duffle bag from the sidelines over to Shiro and Hunk.

 

“Hey Lancey! I come bearing gifts!” Esme called out gesturing dramatically to Keith. Lance whipped his head up, he met eyes with Keith and quickly ran as fast as his little legs could go, whilst yelling out, “Keith! Keith! Keith!” And..he kept running...he wasn't going to stop, was he? Suddenly Esme took his present away from his hands just in time to catch Lance as they both tumbled to the ground from the momentum, but that didn't bother Lance as he hugged him anyway.

 

“Thank you for inviting me Lance, happy birthday!” Keith recited perfectly, though a bit wheezy due to the significant weight on top of him

 

Aunty Esme just laughed and told Keith she was going to put his present on the table with the rest. He merely nodded and continued to hug Lance back, until Hunk and Shiro helped them up.

 

“Thanks! C’mon Keith! We’re going to play swords!” “Lance’s brother and sister said they would play the bad guys, so we can be the Space Rangers!” Hunk added excitedly. 

 

“Yeah, yeah! I call Red!” “I want Blue!” Keith said back, equally excited.

 

“Gween! Gween!” Pidge called out, not wanting to be left behind.

 

“I’ll be Black!” Hunk cried proudly. Everyone looked at him.

 

“Hunk, last time you were Yellow.” Lance said.

 

“But...but I wanted to be the head this time!” Hunk insisted.

 

Shiro looked at the younger kids and didn't really want to call the adults for help when they were busy with each other.

 

“Hey guys, it’s ok. I wanted to be Yellow this time anyway. So you can be the head this time Hunk.” Hunk’s sad expression melted away into a happy one. Everyone else seemed pacified with this too. And Shiro was glad, he could barely handle a pouty Keith, let alone three other little kids.

 

“C’mon team! Let's go get ‘em! For Altea!” Hunk cheered

 

“ALTEA!” And they stormed the ‘enemy base’, foam swords in hand. Isa and Daniel weren’t expecting the surprise attack, but they still managed to put up a good fight.

 

The game was in full swing, when they heard a sudden shout come from the grown-ups. 

 

_ “WE’RE DATING YOU JERK!”  _

 

Everyone stopped at the sudden outburst.

 

…

 

“What’s a date?” Keith finally asked.

 

“I think Amber gave me some for a snack, a long time ago, they made my tummy feel funny.” Hunk offered, sticking out his tongue at the memory. There was a chorus of laughter from the three older children. 

 

“Hunk, it’s not that kind of date.” Shiro said kindly.

 

“What does it mean then?”

 

“When tía Zura and Aunty Ruby say they're dating it means they like each other a lot so they become girlfriends.” Lance’s sister, Isa, responded. “They’ll spend time together and hangout and do cute mushy stuff until they fall in love forever and live together and get a cat or a dog or something.” Her twin brother Daniel finished. 

 

“How do you start dating someone, Isa?” Lance said eyes shimmering, this sounded exactly like the stuff that happened in Tía’s bedtime stories.

 

Isa just shrugged, “You just got to like them I suppose and hang out with them all the time.”

 

Lance mulled it over in his little head...

 

...

 

He gasped.

 

“That means that me and Keith are girlfriends too, right? ‘Cause every time Tía Zura hanged out with Aunty Ruby, me and Keith were there too and I really like a Keith a lot!”

 

“It’s ‘Keith and I’ baby bro.” Isa said automatically.

 

“Also don’t be weird Lance,” Daniel scoffed crossing his arms. “You’d be boyfriends, not girlfriends, duh.”

 

“Oh. Okay! Ya hear that Keith! We’re boyfriends now!” Lance looked to Keith and saw his friend’s face was red, like, really _really_ **_really_** red! It was also...kinda mad..? _Oh no. Did Keith not want to be boyfriends with Lance?_

 

“Keith? You ok buddy?” Shiro asked worriedly, subtly gauging his little brother’s next move.

 

In one fell swoop, Keith rammed into Lance’s chest sending them straight to the ground, not unlike earlier.

 

The older kids rushed into to make sure they hadn't hurt themselves, when they noticed Keith’s hands clutching for dear life on the front of Lance’s shirt.

 

“I like Lance a lot too!” he half mumbled, half shouted into Lance’s chest. Lance just stared at the top of Keith’s fluffy head for a minute before sitting up and gathering Keith into a hug as he sat on Lance’s lap. Lance giggled at Keith and just held him until Keith finally felt assured enough to get off and help Lance to his feet.

 

Isa leaned down to whisper in Lance’s ear. “You have to ask him properly.”

 

Lance nodded and faced Keith once more before falling to his knees. “Keith! Wanna be my boyfriend?” Keith turned red again before giving a small smile and nodding. “Uh huh.”

 

Lance was just about to start hugging Keith(again) when suddenly Daniel came and plucked Keith from the ground onto his shoulders.

 

“Mwhahaha! Come Haggar! We have captured the Blue Ranger and the Red Lion!” He shouted in a “evil” British accent. “I don't get this show, why don't their colors match!? Everyone else matches!?” He added normally.

 

“Hey! You can’t just steal my boyfriend! He’s mine!” Lance pouted.

 

“Oh really? And who’s gonna stop us?” Daniel stated, getting back into character.

 

“We will! Everyone to your Lions! We’re getting Keith- I mean, Ranger Blue- back!” Hunk yelled enthusiastically.

 

The kids battle cried and went after Daniel and Isa, pretending their swords were laser guns instead. All while Keith cheered gleefully from Daniel’s shoulders and shouted encouragements to his team.

 

By the time the Space Rangers saved Keith and were in the middle of battling the twins, Lance’s mom called them over for food. Lance and Keith ran to the table hand in hand and they didn’t separate until they finished eating. Then it was time for presents.

 

“Pre-sent time! Pre-sent time!” Lance chanted. His and Keith’s chair were scooted as close together as possible, giving them more than enough room to clutch their hands together once more.

 

“Okay mijito, family ones first, this one's from Papí. He’s sorry he couldn’t make it today but he says next week he’ll be back and you can take a ride in the truck with him.” Lance’s father was a truck driver, currently crossing state lines and delivering goods around the country, he also had a super cool blue truck that reminded Lance of Optimus Prime, which reminded him of the Blue Lion, which was again super cool. He let go of Keith’s hand to tear through the paper, inside he found a set of Matchbox cars to add to his ever growing collection. 

 

Lance vowed to give his thanks to his dad next time he called to check in and dove into his other presents, candy from his siblings, that they  _ promised _ not eat behind his back, cookies from Hunk and Amber, macaroni art from Pidge, the infamous hand-knit socks  crazy Great-Aunt Monica would give every year, until finally there were only two presents left, his mom’s special present and Keith’s. He opened Rosa’s first and was ecstatic to find the Ranger Red toy he always wanted. He hugged his mama, repeatedly saying thank you over and over again. His mom just laughed and half-joked that she expects his room to be tidier after this. Lance promised and returned to the table, ready to open his last present.

 

“Keith picked it out all by himself, Lance.” Aunty Ruby put in, as the purple box was placed in front of him. She and Tía Zura hadn’t left each other’s side the whole day.  _ Just like me and Keith. _ Lance thought happily. He flashed an excited grin at his friend before eagerly ripping the silver bow off the package. Inside Lance found the cutest jellyfish plushie, its top a light blue that slowly turned purple down its tentacles.

 

“It's like the ones you showed me yesterday, at the ‘quarium.” Keith said shyly. Lance sat up on his knees to reach over and hug Keith.

 

“There’s something else in there too.” Keith informed him, his eyes looking to the ground.

 

Lance looked back into the box and saw a little envelope with his name on it. He took it out and looked to his mother to help him open it without ripping the paper. Having it back in his hands, Lance saw there was a red band inside. Further examination proved it was a handmade bracelet, probably Keith’s own handiwork, if the too-big size and occasional malformed lumps were any indication, but Lance being only now six years old, didn't care about that, all he saw was a beautiful creation made by one of his bestest friends. 

 

“Do you like it?” Keith asked nervously.

 

“I love it Keith.” His blue eyes practically overflowing with held in joy. “You’re the best boyfriend ever!” At that last statement all the adults gaped and then slowly began to laugh. All silently agreeing, that if the boys’ relationship ever did grow to that point, they’d be the sweetest thing, well, second to Azura and Ruby at least.

**Author's Note:**

> To avoid confusion with the Lions in the Space Rangers show:  
> All the rangers match with their Lions except Red and Blue, they swapped.  
> In my head, these Lions don't create Voltron exactly, but they're still really cool ships and I don't know they probably teach kids math once in awhile or something like all kid shows do now lol


End file.
